Canadian women’s national volleyball team returns to Pan Am Games

OTTAWA – Canada’s national women’s volleyball team looks to build on a sixth place performance at last month’s North and Central America and Caribbean (NORCECA) Championships as it returns to the Pan American Games for the first time since 1999.

While the Pan Ams are an Olympic qualifier for some team sports that is not the case in women’s volleyball. Still it is one of the last major tournaments for Canada before its main Olympic trial, the NORCECA qualifier, this upcoming January.

Leading the Canadian squad at the Pan Ams is team captain Tammy Mahon of Holland, Man., Tasha Holness of Calgary, Lauren O’Reilly of Langley, B.C., and Brittney Page of Vernon, B.C.

Also on the squad guided by head coach Arnd Ludwig, are Tricia Mayba of Winnipeg, Julie Young of Red Deer, Alta., Claire Hanna of Calgary, Tonya Mokelki of Weyburn, Sask., Carla Bradstock of Richmond, B.C., Elizabeth Cordonier of Vancouver, Colette Meek of Sherwood Park, Alta., and Jennifer Hinze of Vancouver.

Top Canadian scorer Sarah Pavan of Kitchener, Ont., cannot attend the Games due to commitments to her professional team overseas.

For the Games tournament, Canada is in Group A with Brazil, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. The Group B teams are Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and the U.S. The Canadians open round robin play Saturday against defending champion Cuba, then face Brazil on Sunday and the Dominican on Monday.

The quarterfinals are on Tuesday, the semis on Wednesday and the medal matches on Thursday October 20.

The Canadian women placed fifth at their last participation at the Games in 1999 and their last medal was a bronze in 1995 in Mar del Plata, Argentina.

Canadian women’s volleyball team for the Pan American Games October 15-29 in Guadalajara, Mexico